Iowa Democrats have spent nearly a decade and a half in the wilderness. The trip started around the time Chet Culver lost his bid for re-election in 2010. It never stopped.

From that point, Democrats lost statewide races from the top of the ballot to the bottom, with Obama’s 2012 win one of the few successes. State Auditor Rob Sand, who we’ll talk about shortly, is another.

Why?

It’s a long story. That story runs through the decline of unions, political shifts in the 2010s, and partisan realignment by educational attainment. Every left of center Iowan has their own (usually self-serving) story to tell. But each one ends the same way – Iowa Democrats are left playing for a firm minority of the electorate.

They’ve done little to solve the problem.

Several years ago, I called for Iowa Democrats to build a 2030 coalition. Why? With Iowa’s hard turn to the right, it’s unlikely their current coalition will win. So, they should build a future coalition that can win. That coalition rests on the strength of young people, political independents, non-whites (especially Latinos), and immigrants. These are all growing populations who often don’t vote for Democrats.

But Iowa Democrats weren’t interested in a 2030 coalition. They wanted to win now.

Continue reading